Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-14
WHY WE SMILE.
The Gentle Rain Makes the
Heart OF the Stock Man
Heap Good"
The Face of the Rancher is
Wreathed in Smiles as he
Talks "Crop,"
And the Merchants and Profes
sional Men Hob-nob Over the
Pleasant Weather.
CONTINUED RAINS.


Hope Is Again Restored and stock Men
Much Encouraged.
Providence once more spares our
ranges from the burning rays of Old
Sol by an abundance Of rain. Since
Thursday morning it has rained al
most continuously, which places Gus
ter county and eastern Montana ranges
in a condition most favorable TO stock
men. The present outlook far sur.
passing the condition 6 things for
years past, gives our great industry q
bright showing in more respects than
one. With such rainfall at this sea-
son Of the year, when il is expected to
do the most good, following SO soon
after such winter that was every
where made remarkable throughout
the entire northwest for the bountiful
snowfall, prosperity Is about all that
could be expected from our people;
for grass il king. The general reports
from all the ranges contiguous to our
locality are of the most flattering ma
ture, aud this rain, which is u God.
send to the whole country, will 20 far
toward verifying the above statement,
The present outlook is most encourag-
ing, for SO far as can be learned in a
local way the LOSSES during the past
severe winter are not so sweeping, only
la certain localities where the stock
becoming bewildered had wandered
off looking for shelter and food. Case.
of this character, which proved the
most disastrous can be located along
the streams and the woodlands where
the herds had drifted in search OF
water ana shelter. To be sure, the
losses during the past winter months
were something unusual, but 10 great.
er than could have been looked for
after such an unprecedently hot sum.
mer in the northwest last season. II
is almost AL axiom then that a per-
centage OF our loss il cbargeable TO a
shortage OF the grass crop, and not ell.
tirely due TO the severe winter and
continued SHOWS that the majority Of
people assign as q e cause oi the uu-
usual mortality among the herds Of
the northwest. The intelligent are all
well aware that the plains have been
too crowded for some time, and the
disaster which has befallen our coun-
try was merely matter of tune; II
had 10 come sooner ur later. But now
1t il past and prosperity seems TO be
the coming lot of the cattle king,
Only halcyon days await the man
who will but 20 on as has been hi,
usual wont, and forget the error OF hi'
ways during the past, for life il full o.
mistakes, and We continue To max,
them; IL has always been 81, and vii
ever he thus; IL only being the fUolisl
who repeat them. Ii has been in
strumental in bringing about "A subjec
Of vast importance to stock growers
viz: shall the herds be provided FOL
in some manner during the most &c
we're winter months? The subject
though somewhat complicated, is cap
able of solution. 1t Is very eviden
that small bands OF cattle cared fol
are productive Of better returns that
large ones wholly unattended, and th,
percentage Of loss double what it ap
pears in the first instance cited
Numerous irrigating bitches are unde
construction this season In favorabl
localities and much fencing has al
ready been done, too. All this goes I,
show that the all important subject O
feed has taken IA strong held upon tn
minds OF our producers. There ar
Instances under our own observation
where stock was saved by feed tha
was produced on the ranch last year
The Instances most noticeable wer
among those who had fenced of a poi
ton OF some valley and thereby secuI
ing and making good meadow land
II IL but fair to state now that will
All ordinarily good season following
the present state of uffair- that tn